


ZombieQueen's Essays And Letters To The Ben 10 Fandom

by ZombieQueen



Category: Ben 10 Series
Genre: Alternate Character Interpretation, Gen, I'm Going to Hell, Multi, Mythology - Freeform, Other, Research is needed, confused author, pure stupidity, wild speculation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-29
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:23:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 3,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23903803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZombieQueen/pseuds/ZombieQueen
Summary: It is what it sounds like. Just go with it. Don't like, don't read.
Relationships: All the ships - Relationship
Kudos: 5





	1. Subject: Introduction

Dear _Ben 10_ Fandom,

This work is a series of essays and letters addressed to you, but not just you, but you too. These are messages written from a heavily neutral perspective, but with also a strong focus on personal interpretations and opinions.

The focus of this collection of opinionated research and reinterpretation of various subjects is to bring into your collective, a fresh point of view regarding the yet to be written.

With Respects, ZombieQueen.


	2. Subject: Agent XI Canon Hub Series

Dear _"Ben 10"_ Fandom,

This letter is addressed to those who are confused and/or intrigued by the _"Agent XI Canon Hub"_ series.

To those wondering about its origins, story, and concept, this is for you.

About why this series is being written, and to where it will lead into.

Let's begin. I don't want to keep you waiting.

* * *

It all began on a social media app known as Amino under the name of Zombie Apocalypse. By the time I had first composed _"Agent XI"_ , I had already established myself as a fanfiction writer with my AU work _"Alien Force Online"_ (1) and I was still somewhat very new to SCP related stuff at the time, but during those days on Amino, I made the choice to introduce the following:

A _"Ben 10"_ SCP Foundation AU.

* * *

This idea was met with excitement from my then fellow members of the _"Ben 10"_ Amino, and soon, or more accurately about a month and a half later, during the first half of the summer of 2019, between 9th grade and 10th, while at my dad's house, in my Mimi's bedroom that has no air conditioning for some ungodly reason, (2) and I don't know how or why, but something in my brain just clicked.

And with that click in my head, a new fanfic idea was born, or I guess concived? (Why can't I spell words?) After a few minutes or hours, the very first instalment of what would become the _"Agent XI Canon Hub"_ series was born:

_"Agent XI: Episode 1: Young Girl"_

* * *

Now, I do have to admit, the series at the time needed lots of work done on it, and my knowledge on SCP was still young, but I knew that I was doing something super cool, I just didn't know it yet.

I left the Amino version on a cliffhanger due to technological issues and my 16th birthday coming up, and the next time I would write what would become _"Agent XI"_ wouldn't make itself known for at least a few weeks after my mom and I made the decision to replace my cell phone.

So I tried to give myself a Tumblr account.

* * *

I say "tried" for a few reasons.

1\. I didn't have proper access to my gmail account on my old phone.

2\. I wasn't exactly sure how to work Tumblr.

And 3. It felt weird after awhile. To elaborate, while I was happy to have an outlet for writing, I didn't feel like anyone was enjoying what I was putting out there. Like I was nobody. Like no one cared about my writing. While I was on Tumblr, I did make some positive choices that would later influence _"Agent XI"_ , the most important one being that, for this fanfic's world, I was going to need a proper storyline, and a way to follow everything without getting lost. That was my main problem with being on Tumblr. You can't go anywhere and expect to become somebody.

So, I did the only smart thing that I could do:

I quit.

* * *

I don't regret my actions from that day. If nobody was going to care about my words, then they didn't deserve to know anything that I wrote.

After I had figured out how my new, and current at the time of this letter's writing, cell phone worked, I made a new choice for my life. A birthday/new year's gift (3) to myself:

My own AO3 account!!!

* * *

As soon as this very account was activated, I knew I had to write something that was so interwoven with my identity as a fanfic writer, so I went with my guts, brain, and gave a prayer to God above in Jesus' name, and I decided to write _"Agent XI: Volume 1"_ with as much love and passion as I could.

If you told me in January 2019 that I was going to do something badass with words and SCPs, I would've given you a look of confusion and/or a blank expression. (4) But now that I've done just that, I feel just like Citra Terranova when she finally felt that she had become Scythe Anastasia. (5)

* * *

For those wondering about the theme of the _"Agent XI Canon Hub"_ series, I'm still figuring that out myself, but I do believe that the nature of conciequences (sic) is a pretty important feature. 

With Respects, ZombieQueen.

* * *

Footnotes:

1\. An AU in which all the alien stuff happens a la _"Sword Art Online"_ and takes place in the year 2124 A. D. Might be moving from Amino to DevientArt. 

2\. My mom and dad are divorced and have been since I was six and every year my 18 months younger brother (born in early 2005) and I (born in late 2003) often have to plan out for when our dad has to pick up for spending time with him. I'll probably rant about my dad in a later essay, most likely to vent.

3\. Tech junk nonsense. I don't wanna get into it. It's a pretty boring.

4\. I'm on the high functioning end of the Autism spectrum. I'll go into that later. Maybe.

5\. Sorry for _"Thunderhead"_ spoilers. I just really love those books. Before this whole pandemic thing I was enjoying the book, but sadly, I'm not going to be able to finish it, am I?


	3. Subject: Kai Green

Dear _"Ben 10"_ Fandom,

I'm gonna be honest with you here:

I have never been in a romantic relationship, but I have felt a crush on my best friend, and I have felt strong sexual attraction, mostly for other girls and always around Homecoming for some reason. I don't know why that is either, let's just go with it. I don't know how to be romantic, like, at all. I can't tell when somebody is being genuine or messing with me, and with fictional romance, it can only work in certain genres.

For example, when I read a book that's in modern dystopia, whenever the main dude and chick end up together, I honestly don't get why they're kissing when they should be worrying about taking down the evil government!!! The only exception to this "rule" that I've ever read was Neil Shusterman's _"Arc of a Scythe"_ books one and half of two, which is literally the only subversion of that, as far as I know of. I am so tired of seeing the main dude and chick being forced to be together in modern dystopia!!!! Quit copying _"Hunger Games"_ damn it!!!!!!

So, since my perspective on romance is kinda skewed, let's talk about Kai Green!

* * *

Now, I'm gonna keep being honest:

I don't know how to hate Kai. Now, that's just due to both a lack of knowledge and a frame of reference. I was born in September 2003, and I've only been a part of you since mid to late 2017. You can do the math from there. For as long as I've been a member of you, as well as a bunch of other fandoms, I have honestly never understood how and/or why certain characters get the reputation that they do. 

But I've started to notice something that I think that you guys and gals and folks in between just aren't thinking about, and that's the fact of the limited POV and projecting our own person of and onto a character. Allow me to explain what I mean by that:

When we attach ourselves to a fictional character, we want to be in his/her head, that makes sense as the more we develop alongside said character, the more we project and imagine ourselves as that character to the point of nearly parental instinct and/or a sibling like bond, depending on your age. Personal example for my own childhood, I grew up with shows like _"Gravity Falls", "Steven Universe", "Over The Garden Wall", "My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic", "Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja",_ and _"Star VS The Forces Of Evil"._ As you can tell, I grew up with a lot of 2010's cartoons, and I grew up alongside the characters as they each influenced me in some way or another. 

When their stories ended, I had grown up and matured along with them. I didn't even know what fandoms were until early to mid January 2015, but I always felt that there were people out there who could relate to me, and shared the same amount of love for these people and their worlds as I did.

That's what I think went on with you, when you attached yourself to Ben Tennyson. You became so close when you grew up alongside Ben, that you wanted him to be with someone that you felt would be good for him, but you were unhappy with Kai and you lashed out at her, not understanding that your words were hurting her. 

I prefer to see characters as people first, so I'm sorta seeing this from not a romanticist's perspective, but just from the POV of a concerned outsider looking in.

* * *

Maybe try attaching yourself to Kai for a moment. Maybe you could try seeing her as an aromantic person who hasn't figured out that they're aromantic yet. Or maybe from a demiromantic point of view. Or just say "fuck it" and just ship her with Zak Saturday or something just because. Or just headcanon that she's part werewolf or something like that. Wait, that doesn't make any sense. Werewolves are European and Kai's Native American, that wouldn't make any sense. Unless she got bit by a European werewolf. Where was I going with this?

With Respects, ZombieQueen.


	4. Subject: Where Is Everybody? (Fermi Paradox)

Dear _"Ben 10"_ Fandom,

If you're familiar with this thing called the Fermi Paradox, this letter shall be written for you. For those unfamiliar, here's the mini version, since it's quite an interesting rabbit hole to go down and I want you to do your own research.

To make everything short, basically it's the question of "Where are all the aliens?"

Let's begin and see where this letter is going.

* * *

For a good while, I've been wondering about the SETI Project, SETI being short for the Search For Extraterrestreal Intelligence, and I soon began to wonder about a question that's been in my head for a few years by now:

"Are all the aliens looking for other aliens and not just us?"

* * *

I'm afraid that I don't have an answer for such a large question, and sadly, neither does anybody else, as far as I know. As I'm only a sixteen-year-old at the time of this writing and am legally still a minor, I can't launch radio waves into space and wait for a response.

To aliens who are reading this in the far future when I'm most likely dead, assuming that you can understand American English, or whatever my native language might end up being called by your time, do you or did you ever have your own SETI Projects on your native planets?

What do you think about what's going to happen when First Contact finally occurs? Will there be enlightenment, or will there be racism? Personally speaking, I'm hoping for the former, as I'm not very comfortable with the latter, mostly due to being multiracial. (Half African American on my dad's side while also being a quarter European and a quarter Asian from my mom's side.)

With Respects, ZombieQueen.


	5. Excerpts From Essays Regarding The Scientific Nomenlature Of Extraterrestrial Lifeforms, Written & Recorded By Dr. Tennyson

_"...It fascinates me to no end just how many species not native to Terra have been given no proper nomenclature outside of their most common endonyms and exonyms. I feel that this, how should I put this? This lack of scientific naming is doing so many species a disservice. I purpose that we begin a new process: If we are going to give those of alien, and/or partial alien decent the respect that they deserve, the best that I believe for those of us who have grown to go into the deep end of the ever growing knowledge of the universe of biology to do, is to give to them proper binomial nomenclature..."_

-Doctor Benjamin Kirby "Ben 10" Tennyson, multi-system biologist, superhero, and "Ever-Growing Demigod" of the Hourglass Cults. Excerpt is from Dr. Tennyson's _"The Power That Names Can Hold."_ research essay addressed to the Intergalactic Biology Association (IBA) on 02/14/2023 A.D. Terra-Solar-Gregorian.

* * *

_"...You can say as much as you want to an individual, but it is the name of a species that gives the individual their strength. I can care less about numbers and percentages, but I can easily understand why people who are not myself, bother to do so..."_

-Excerpt is from _"The Nature Of Perspectives"_ , Dr. Tennyson, 06/06/2038 A.D. Terra-Solar-Gregorian.

* * *

_"It seems my worshippers have been giving me letters in Latin. All of them are words that've been translated into their roughest English. Or whatever their native language is that has a rough equivalent for each word. It's going to take me awhile to read all of them."_

_-_ Excerpt from a letter written for Dr. Tennyson's cousin-in-law, K. E. Levin, dated 04/15/2042 A.D. Terra-Solar-Gregorian.

* * *

_"Anodites, are, at current knowledge, believed to be parasitic in nature [ILLEGIBLE]... Prey animal? Prey of WHAT?! [ILLEGIBLE]... reprodution is abnormal for [ILLEGEBLE]..."_

_-_ Excerpt is believed to be from a collection of research notes most likely related to Anodite biology and evolution. Majority of notes appear to be burned and/or torn for unknown reasons. Dates seem to be between 08/17/2045 and 07/23/2047 A.D. Terra-Solar-Gregorian.


	6. Subject: Art Styles Ranting

Dear _"Ben 10"_ Fandom,

I think it's time that ask you this: What's with all the disagreements about art styles? I mean, I understand having a preference, but you don't have to go to war and art shame fellow fan artists over it. They're just wanting whatever it is they're drawing to feel like a scene from whatever show that they're recreating, which is the whole point of a screenshot edit. Leave the wars to the shippers and lore debaters and worldbuilders and whatever.

* * *

Now, regarding one's personal style, that's something that is naturally occurring and must be considered independent of what I'm trying to address. What I am addressing is what I'm going to call the "Franchise Art Style Evolution Effect" or the FASE ("Phase", if spoken aloud.) Effect for short. ~~(Personal Note: Make or look up a band with the name of "Phase Effect".)~~

The FASE Effect is a type of mentality that typically occurs in fandoms of visual storytelling that utilize animation and illustrations, but does not occur within usage of most modern writing systems and most ancient symbols that have yet to be translated. The nature of the FASE Effect has either very little or no known research recorded about it, but the most common hypothesis is that the FASE Effect is an undiscovered form of mob mentality that had, at some point in its development, merged with the mentality of artistic opinion and creativity. 

Save for this hypothesis, nothing about the FASE Effect is known.

* * *

**Personal Notes:**

I'm not really a fan of the UAF style. My preference is the OV style. Now, before you attack me with your torches and cotton candy, because, let's be real, who really has a pitchfork in their house? Unless you live in a house that actually has one of those things. Allow me to explain why:

I don't really feel like the UAF style does "Ben 10" justice when regarding my own memories of the series. As I stated in my Kai Green letter, I grew up in the 2010's, as was/is normal for someone who falls into the "Gen Z" category, so when I think of visual storytelling, I think of simplistic characters in contrast to detailed backgrounds. Now, there are some exceptions, but that's the main thing that I think of in terms of art styles in cartoons.

To my brain, the UAF style just feels, how do I put this gently? Flat and bland and boring. Now, there are a few bits of it that I do like, mostly Big Chill's design due to memory logic and the asthetics that Anodites give off, but I actually have something of a loose theory regarding Anodites, mana colors, and Gwen's Lucky Girl form from OV, but that's for a later essay. 

To me, the OV style feels like there was a lot more fun. That and I just recall it better. 

With Respects, ZombieQueen.


	7. A Letter For Miss Nihalist (Why Can't I Spell?!)

Dear Miss Nhalist,

1\. I can't spell your name right because nahlisim is stupid and makes me feel apathetic and confused. I'm sorry for the inaccuracies. That's just what happens when I don't have knowledge on certain things. 

And 2. Regarding the actual point of this letter, let's begin.

* * *

If I had anything to say to you, I would tell you that I have something of a respect for you as a fellow writer, as you are far more experienced than I am in terms of creating a fanfiction taking place within the _"Ben 10"_ universe, but I do have to say a couple of criticisms. 

Also, at the time of writing this letter to you, I haven't read your story _"Diamonds Are Forever"_ as I'm afraid of what I know the tags are warning me about, but I have read _"Who's Scared Now?"_ and this is where my criticisms are coming from.

Now, I'm not trying to hurt you or anything, I'm sorry if this begins to do so. Please don't be angry at me for my lack of proper understanding about what I'm about to rant about regarding your fic that I've actually read. I haven't figured out grown up life yet like you have probably. 

* * *

The fic _"Who's Scared Now?"_ felt way too real for me. Allow me to elaborate as to why I felt that way.

The angry mob scene, I think, was probably one of the main things. Now, while I've never been attacked by a bunch of pissed off racists, that angry mob scene just... NO!!! _JUST PLAIN OUT FUCKING NO!!!!!!!_

I know that racism is a pointless garbage harsh truth of reality, but once I experience that kind of thing, despite the fact that I know that what I'm seeing is a work of fiction _BASED ON HISTORICAL FACT!!!!!!_

While to someone older than me, that scene might be nothing when compared to reality due to those people already having some kind of memories related to what they've understood from having experienced racism, but to someone around my age (Gen Z age range), it just feels wrong and harsh.

Another thing is that, as I read the fic, my brain made me remember the fact that, um, oh yeah, I'm a multiracial person!!! Now, while I don't know you as a person, for obvious reasons I think you can already understand, and not to insult you, but I don't think that you understood that there are people in your audience that are of various backgrounds and age ranges, myself for example. Now, I can understand if you have a lack of knowledge regarding who your readers are, again, for obvious reasons, but I think that this very lack, as well as this little thing called values distance, is kind of the main reason that I don't really read your works unless the work makes sense to my brain. (As in, I'm not very interested in outdated concepts. (Sexism, racism, ableism, etc.))

It all depends on who's reading.

With Respects, ZombieQueen.


	8. I Don't Want To Live In Fear Anymore

This isn't a normal letter, whatever normal letters will end up being, but that's not the point.

I just need to say something about what's going on in the world right now. And what's happening is just... I can't take it... Before you ask, yes my mom and stepdad have talked to me and my brother about the cops and their, let's just say, "sensitive" relationship with the people who they're _supposed_ to be _protecting._

Being a multiracial girl in America, I don't know what to think about it. My mom might be considered "white", but that doesn't mean that her kids inherit that "prievlige" of having the comfort to be viewing the police as "protectors." 

I don't think I've ever thought anything about the police up until recently... 

Should I trust them or should I fear them?

Now, when I'm planning on discussing things like the Army, or the Navy, or the Air Force, part of me knows that I can put my safety in those forces because I have family and possibly some friends who have or will have history in those kinds of situations, even if I frequently worry that they won't come back and also can't join. (Not a sexism and/or racism thing, I'm a KPR, so it's more of a health safety thing, which is good because I don't wanna be dead from TB. Another thing, most family members in my family who have military experience are mostly all veterans by now, but I do have an older cousin who's on her way to becoming a military nurse. Cuz', if you're reading this, I love, support, and root for you!!!) 

But, with the police, there's a disconnect: I don't really know what goes on in an officer's head. All I know is that they're constantly afraid, which I don't understand, but also kind of understand. 

On one hand, when you're working with hostile people, being constantly afraid is somewhat justified, but on the other hand, where do the lines between discipline end and irrationalism begin?


	9. Subject: Sunny Tennyson X Charmcaster

Okay, I'm supposed to be in bed at the time of writing, but I just want to share this crack ship idea.

So, Sunny and Charmcaster being together was actually inspired by an MEP parts compilation by a YouTuber person calling themselves Witch Of Mind, but they were shipping Blackfire from _"Teen Titans"_ with Charmaster, but the idea's kind of the same, but more in-universe, I guess? 

After watching that video, I sorta just had this ship pop into my head and I just went:

"Welp, I clearly have no idea what I just did! Let's do this purple magic girlfriends thing!"

Ship names I came up with were the following:

Solar Charms

Purple Witchcraft/Magic/Mana Girlfriends

Sunshine Mages

Those were the only ones that I came up with. 

As for how this relationship would work, I'll let the more hardcore shippers do the rest. I'm just a casual shipper who likes to watch the world burn. 

Now, I need to go to sleep because I have online school stuff I gotta do.


	10. Subject: I think I have a YouTube channel now?

Uh...

Yeah?

I got a youtube thing now.

Cool, I guess?

I don't know what I'm doing...

What am I doing with my life? I don't know.

I go by ZR 101 on YouTube.


End file.
